Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight to Feature George Jones

Hear the life and music of George the Great, George Jones at 11 am, April 23 on the Sunday Morning Country Classic Spotlight.  The Country Classic Show begins at 9 am at 98.1 FM Minnesota’s New Country, online or download the new 98.1 mobile app.

Jones’ life was just like a country song. In April 1980, he recorded "He Stopped Loving Her Today" -- what became known as the greatest country song of all time. The song was Jones’ first number one single in six years.  It was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman. Jones hated the song, he once said, “Nobody will buy that morbid S.O.B.”  The song shot to number one and was on the country chart for 13 weeks and won many awards for Jones including, the CMA Award and Song of the Year in 1980.

Jones was married four times, in 1969 he married fellow country singer, Tammy Wynette they became known as Mr. and Mrs. Country music. Together they recorded several duets “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Golden Ring” and “Near You” all three number one hits. The couple divorced in 1975. Jones had a habit of missing engagements, his nickname became “No-Show Jones.” He married his fourth wife, Nancy Sepulvado in 1983 and became mostly sober. Jones passed away April 26, 2013 at age 81.  Jones had one last big hit in 1999 with “Choices.” That song won him another Grammy.  Jones was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville. The week after Jones’ death, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” re-entered the hit country chart at number 21.  Fellow country singer Waylon Jennings once said “if we could sound the way we wanted, we’d all sound like George Jones.”

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